5 WAYS TO CREATE A STRESS-FREE HOME OFFICE

As 2016 rolls in, it’s out with the old and in with the new. If you work from home, now’s the perfect time to do a home office detox, for a productive and stress-free year ahead. Not sure where to start? Here are 5 tips to take on board.

1. Spring Clean The Clutter

A messy office can disrupt concentration and affect your output. Give your home office a spring clean and eliminate all the unnecessary clutter, to open up the space and establish an organised state of order. From old receipts to excess paperwork, broken equipment and unused stationary, now’s the time to decide whether they should be stored or tossed. Having a neat office space is conducive to positive thoughts as well as clarity and can help keep stress at bay.

2. Reassess The Set Up

Once you’ve cleared the mess, reassess the space you have and implement easy improvements and changes that can make a difference. If you’re short on square footage, invest in modular furniture and smart storage options. If you’re annoyed by all the endless cables and chords you have running under your desk or around the floor, use masking tape or wire to bind them neatly together. Want to have more natural lighting? Be flexible and move things around for a refreshed view.

3. Think Feng Shui

Having a window in an office is a great start to offering a remedy to anxiety. Fresh air, good lighting and a view can also help connect us to the outside world and offer a sense of relaxation in times of stress. Try avoid positioning the desk that faces a wall. Instead, have the desk face the open space you occupy to absorb all its qualities. This may help to open the mind to multiple possibilities that can be captured from the surroundings.

4. Decorate With Strategy

How you decorate and position your bedroom is just as important as your home office. Arguably, we spend just as much time in the office as our bedroom, so approaching its look and feel should take considerable thought. Introducing artwork, mood boards and personal items such as photos are a nice form of inspiration, as well as motivation. Just be sure to prevent clutter from forming which can cause disorganisation and distraction. Shelving around the room is a good way to store documents as well as provide storage without having too much space occupied on the ground. A fresh coat of paint may also help to brighten up the room if it is lacking in colour or is looking a little dull.

5. Restock & Reinvest Wisely

To ensure your home office runs as smoothly as possible, don’t skimp on the proper investments. If that slow laptop or lousy printer caused you a lot of grief the year beforehand, now’s the time to hit refresh. An efficient computer and a multifunction printer that can be connected to wirelessly, can do wonders for boosting productivity and efficiency. Similarly, don’t try to save your pennies on an uncomfortable office chair. Rather, opt for quality and ergonomically comfortable chairs that won’t damage your posture.